News
The COVID-19 pandemic and associated life changes, including social distancing and potential changes to typical health care treatments, represent unprecedented life circumstances for Veterans and their spouses. Research is urgently needed to understand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated life and health care changes on well-being in Veterans and their spouses. Many of our colleagues and family members have been significantly affected and will be affected in the years to come. In some cases, these impacts will be similar to other Canadians. However, in some cases, the impact of the pandemic on their mental health will be exacerbated by their service. With this in mind, several research establishments in the country have embarked on studies into the impact of the pandemic on veterans, healthcare workers, and first responders. One such study is being conducted by the MacDonald Franklin OSI Research Centre (University of Western Ontario). This study is of specific interest to Veterans and Spouses. In addition to the lead researcher being a senior clinician in the OSI Clinic in London, the survey was developed with the support of two veterans, including Major-General (retired) Glynne Hines. The Veteran and Spouse Well-being During COVID-19 Survey is open to all […]
1. BGEN MARTIN GIRARD WILL RETIRE FROM THE CANADIAN ARMED FORCES AND THE C&E BRANCH ON 4TH OF SEPTEMBER 2020 AFTER SERVING MORE THAN 39 YEARS OF LOYAL AND DEDICATED SERVICE. 2. BGEN MARTIN GIRARD JOINED THE CANADIAN FORCES IN JUNE 1981 AND STARTED AT COLLEGE MILITAIRE ROYAL DE ST-JEAN ON 15 AUGUST 1981. HE WAS TRANSFERRED TO THE ROYAL MILITARY COLLEGE OF CANADA IN KINGSTON IN 1982 WHERE HE GRADUATED WITH A BACHELOR IN ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING IN MAY 1986. HIS FIRST POSTING WAS B TEL O FOR CFB GAGETOWN FROM 1987-1989. 3. HE HAS SERVED IN NUMEROUS OPERATIONAL, STAFF AND PROJECT APPOINTMENTS AT NDHQ AND THE OPERATIONAL COMMANDS SUCH AS CHIEF ENGINEER DWAN, EA ADM IM, CF DEPUTY J6, CEFCOM J6, CANOSCOM OS J3 AND COS. 4. BGEN GIRARD ALSO SERVED IN THREE OPERATIONAL DEPLOYMENTS: FIRST GULF WAR (1990-1991) AS SECOND IN COMMAND OF 1 PTARMIGAN SQUADRON OF 1ST (UK) ARMOURED DIVISION HQ AND SIGNAL REGIMENT; BOSNIA (2002-2003) AS THE SFOR COMMANDER SIGNAL SUPPORT GROUP; AND HAITI (2008-2009) AS TASK FORCE COMMANDER PORT AU PRINCE AND CHIEF OF STAFF MINUSTAH FOR WHICH HE RECEIVED A MERITORIOUS SERVICE MEDAL IN NOVEMBER 2010. 5. BGEN GIRARD HAS COMMANDED AND RELUCTANTLY RELINQUISHED […]
Private (Basic) Rudi William Kraak (12 December 1994 – 19 July 2020) It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of Private Rudi William Kraak. Rudi died in his home on 19 July 2020. He lived in Victoria, British Colombia and had recently joined the Royal Canadian Corps of Signals last December 2019. Rudi was home with his mother and father, and was awaiting direction on his BMQ-L (Soldier’s Qualification Course) before furthering his career in the RCCS as a Signal Operator. He was regarded by his peers as a very caring person who was always willing to take time to help others. He had a very positive outlook on life and a great sense of humour, both of which allowed him to cheer up his peers during difficult times. The funeral ceremony will be held on Saturday, 8 August 2020 at 1500 hours (PST) at McCall Gardens Funeral Home, 4665 Falaise Drive, Victoria, BC. The interment will happen that same day at the Ross Bay Cemetery. A small cadre of military members shall attend the ceremony to represent the RCCS and C&E Family. VVV
Dear Stakeholders and Advisory Group members, As a follow-up from our recent update when we shared the Department’s plan to address wait times, we are providing you with additional information regarding the injection of new funds for Veterans Affairs Canada included in Economic And Fiscal Snapshot 2020 presented by Finance Minister Bill Morneau on July 8th. As part of the fiscal update, Veterans Affairs Canada will receive $96 million in 2020-21 and $96 million in 2021-22, for a total of $192 million over two years towards reducing the Veteran Disability Benefit backlog. More specifically, this funding will extend case management and disability adjudication resources provided in Budget 2018 to keep pace with incoming applications, innovate adjudication processes, and hire new teams dedicated to reducing the backlog. For more information on the fiscal update please visit: Economic and Fiscal Snapshot 2020 and the details of VAC’s plan is Timely Disability Benefit Decisions: Strategic Direction for Improving Wait Times. Additionally, as we enter month four of operating in a pandemic environment with nearly 3,000 VAC employees empowered to perform their duties virtually, we wanted to share this infographic that we recently published outlining key COVID-19 information and assistance for Veterans and their […]
1. CAPTAIN BLAIR MACKNIGHT RETIRED FROM THE CANADIAN ARMED FORCES ON THE 06 JULY 2020 WITH 35 YEARS OF LOYAL AND DEDICATED SERVICE TO CANADA, THE CANADIAN ARMED FORCES, THE ROYAL CANADIAN CORPS OF SIGNALS AND THE LINE TRADE. 2. CAPT MACKNIGHT ENROLLED IN THE PRIMARY RESERVES IN CAMPBELLTON NEW BRUNSWICK AS A RIFLEMAN WITH 2 ROYAL NEW BRUNSWICK REGIMENT (2 RNBR) AT AGE 18 AND TRANSFERRED TO THE REGULAR FORCE IN 1985. FOLLOWING BASIC TRAINING IN CORNWALLIS NS, HE ATTENDED LINEMAN APPRENTICE TRAINING AT THE CANADIAN FORCES SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATIONS AND ELECTRONICS AT KINGSTON ON. 3. OVER THE NEXT 3 DECADES, CAPT MACKNIGHT SERVED AS A LINEMAN WITH 1ST CANADIAN SIGNALS REGIMENT, 1 LINE TROOP, NAVAL RADIO STATION NEWPORT CORNERS, 76 COMMUNICATIONS SQUADRON, 2 CANADIAN MECHANIZED BRIGADE GROUP HEADQUARTERS & SIGNALS SQUADRON, 79 COMMUNICATIONS REGIMENT, CANADIAN FORCES JOINT SIGNAL REGIMENT, AND CANADIAN SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND HEADQUARTERS. 4. UPON PROMOTION TO CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER IN 2012, HE WAS POSTED TO CANADIAN JOINT OPERATIONS COMMAND HEADQUARTERS AS THE LINE CONSTRUCTION SUPERINTENDENT (LCS). OVER A 2-YEAR PERIOD HE CHAIRED A WORKING GROUP OF HIS PEERS RESPONSIBLE TO EVALUATE THE FUTURE OF THE LINE TRADE WITHIN THE CANADIAN ARMED FORCES. THIS RESULTED IN […]
1. LIEUTENANT-COLONEL STEPHAN METIVIER WILL BE RETIRING FROM THE CANADIAN ARMED FORCES ON 3 JULY 2020 AFTER HAVING PROUDLY SERVED HIS BELOVED CANADA FOR A TOTAL OF 40 YEARS, INCLUDING SIX YEARS IN THE PRIMARY RESERVE AND 34 YEARS IN THE REGULAR FORCE. 2. STEPHAN WAS BORN AND RAISED IN QUEBEC CITY AND JOINED THE ARMY CADETS IN 1976 AT THE TENDER AGE OF 12. HE ACHIEVED THE RANK OF SERGEANT BEFORE TRANSFERRING TO THE ARMY RESERVE IN 1980 AS A NON-COMMISSIONED MEMBER WITH LES VOLTIGEURS DE QUEBEC, A LIGHT INFANTRY REGIMENT. HE WAS ATTACHED TO 1R22ER DURING THE 1984 FALL EXERCISES IN GERMANY, AND WAS PART OF THE MASSIVE SHOW OF FORCE BY WESTERN NATIONS ALONG THE BERLIN WALL, IN THE THICK OF THE COLD WAR. WHILE SERVING AS A WEEKEND WARRIOR, HE NOT ONLY LEARNED THE BASIC TENETS OF THE LIFE OF A MODEST SOLDIER, BUT HE ALSO COMPLETED HIS COLLEGE EDUCATION AT CEGEP LIMOILOU, OBTAINING AN ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING DIPLOMA. 3. HE SERVED IN THE MILITIA UNTIL 1986, WHEN HE TRANSFERRED TO THE REGULAR FORCE, REPORTEDLY JOINING QUOTE THE DARK SIDE UNQUOTE VIA THE DIRECT-ENTRY OFFICER (DEO) PROGRAM TO BECOME A SIGNALS OFFICER. AFTER HAVING BEEN AN INFANTRYMAN […]